Issue 47

August 2014

Editor

Gail M Cramer

NNHS NEWS LETTER Northville Northampton Historical Society

MUSEUM NEWS

We had a very good summer

with lots of visitors. I will

give the count in the next

issue of this paper.

Gloria and Gail are currently

reorganizing some of the dis-

plays. We need more room

so we are consolidating and

changing some displays to

different areas of the mu-

seum.

Many artifacts, pictures etc

need to be relabeled from

either being lost or faded.

NORTHVILLE’S BOTTLING WORKS

History tells us that Northville has had 5 bottling

works businesses from the early 1900’s until 1950

The first bottling works was owned and

operated by Joseph Marcel Duheme. He

did not use the name Joseph, so history

mentions him as Marcel. “Marcel” was

born in Quebec, Canada in 1848 and

moved to this area around 1900 or before.

Marcel was married to Violetta “Etta”

Perry. They lived on the Sacandaga River

above Parkville, just beyond Pinnacle

Mountain. He died 1917.

The above picture is the Duheme Bottling and Liquor Store, which

was located on the south side of the Willard Block on North Main

Street. The Willard block was built in 1886. There were many

different businesses that operated in this building, some of us will

remember that Holleran’s Market operated there and later on Sakadol-

sky’s grocery store.

Duheme sold the soda and liq-

uor business to Reiger and

Leonard, who sold it to George

J Robinson who operated the

soda business from 1916 to

1945. Robinson had moved the

soda business to Mosher’s

Feed Store building on Bridge

Street (now the NBT bank).

Mr. Robinson also was in the

trucking business, coal and fuel

oil. He eventually moved his

businesses to a new building

next door.

Young boy sitting in chair is Edward Duheme, son of J. Marcel Duheme.

Ambrose Burgess driving horses (Leland B’s father)

Mr. and Mrs.

J. Marcel Duheme

J. Marcel

Duheme

George J Robinson had been in the bottling business for 39 years

when he sold it to Willard Weaver. Robinson

developed a rubber gasket for a soft drink bottle

stopper, which when was released made a

“pop”, thus the name “soda pop”.

“Zeke” Weaver as he was known , the new owner, was a local

man, having graduated from the Central school

and lived prac- tically all his life in

the vicinity. He served in the

U. S. Army from January 1941

to June 1945 and saw service in

Africa, Sicily, England, France,

Belgium and Germany. He held

the Bronze Star Medal which he received for

meritorious service in connection with military

operations against the enemy in the European

theatre of operations. Weaver’s Adirondack

bottling works burned in 1950.

The firm of L. & J. Brownell, engaged in selling,

bottling and manufacturing soda waters, ale, beer,

la«er beer, and other beverages, and having their

place of business at Northville, Fulton County,

State of New York :

On soda water bottles and bottle containing

what are commonly called "soft drinks"

the letters and words "L. & J. Brownell" In a form

nearly that of a horse shoe, with the open side

down, and tho letters and words "Northville, N Y."

across the open Ride thereof, the word

"Northville" above tho letters "N. Y." On beer,

lager beer bottles, and on boxes, the letters and

words, "L. & J. Brownell, Northville" in the form

of an ellipse, and in the center of such ellipse and

running the longer way thereof, the word "bottlers

" we certify that the above is correct and true.

Dated at Northville June, 1891. L. & J.

BROWNELL

John F Brownell According to ”Northampton Now and Then” ,

Brownell had a soft drink bottling business on

South First Street before WW I. It was in a

large barn between Bridge Street and Center

Street. The 1905 map shows a Brownell owning

property on first street and a barn on the prop-

erty.

I found this advertisement in the Fulton County

Republican newspaper that indicates that he may

have had a partner early on.

In the last couple of months I’ve had two different Duheme

families call/email me concerning their ancestors. They

have met me at the museum where they shared with me

their family history and pictures and I was able to show

them some artifacts and information that we have on the

Duheme’s.

The J. Marcel Duheme House when it was down by the river

The Duheme barns be-

fore the house was

moved. They had to

tear down the barns but

could move the house.

They used the lumber

from the barns to build

new barns at the new

location.

The house after it was moved and an addition build

on the north side. It’s location is on the old road from

Northville to Wells, just past Smith Beach Road.

Local Soda bottles in our museum

Joseph Marcel Duheme (a.k.a. Marcel) was born in

Quebec, Canada moved to this area in the late

1800’s. He was married to Etta Perry. They built

their a house near the Sacandaga River, north of

Parkville and the Pinnacle Mountain. The Pinnacle

can be seen as you drive north out of Northville.

Smith beach is at the base of the mountain. Joseph

and Etta had 4 children. Their son Edward stayed

on the farm. He married Florence Harris. They

had a son Marcel, married to Laura Viola Wilson

who were the parents of Florence and Edward in

the above pictures. Marcel Harris Duheme lived

on the farm until his death in 1980 Their son Ed-

ward remained on the farm and converted the

property to Tree North, a Christmas tree farm. The

tree farm, ceased operation in 1996 and the prop-

erty was sold in 1997. Edward and family moved

to Venezuela for several years. They returned to

the area in 2002 and now reside in Scotia. His sis-

ter, Florence is retired and living in Schenectady.

Looking north from the Duheme house along the river road

Florence and Ed Duheme, (brother and sister) and

their niece visited the museum last week. They

grew up in the Duheme family homestead, which

had been moved from the river. just north of the

Pinnacle to it’s present location. They are holding

Duheme bottles from the bottling works

Maybe you remember them

from high school days

J. Marcel Duheme in front of his bottling works

Wooden box that the bottles were

shipped in to the bottling works

Florence Harris Duheme and son Marcel Harris Duheme

Marcel Harris Duheme and his dog and sled

Mystery Picture

Paul Eddy sent

me this picture.

He found it in

Marilyn Man-

zer Rhinehart’s

estate. Paul

and I both

think that the

little girl in

front is

Marilyn. Can

anyone identify

anyone else in

the picture?

How about the

era of the mo-

tor cycle?

Please reply to

“all” if you

have any infor-

mation.

ROONEY BLOCK Built in 1875, this picture taken in 1882 . This building was lost to a fire. The first bank in Northville was built at

this location in 1895. Thomas H. Rooney conducted a feed and flour store in this building. He also very successful

in the lumber business. He was one of the first trustees in the village. He left the area around 1885 and went west.

Several folks have asked where they

can buy this book. It is for sale in

Northville at the following places.

Donna’s Red Barn , the NNHS mu-

seum, The Adirondack Country Store

or from Gail Cramer.

WHERE ARE THESE PLACES?

Ever heard of Carpenter’s Corners or Sweet’s

Crossing, Fairchild’s Corner, Chapman’s Corners,

Gifford’s Corners, Gifford’s Valley, Hardscrabble,

Maple Grove, Johhnycake hollow?

All these and others are still identified by many of

us old timers and we often refer to them when we

speak of something happening at such and such a

place. These places were usually named for the

families that lived on that corner.

Carpenter’s Corners is at the top of Gould Hill.

Where is Gould Hill you say? Gould hill is the hill

that is the extension of South Main Street. At the

top of this hill on the corner of Ridge Road and

Gould Hill is Carpenter’s Corners.

Fairchild’s Corners is beyond Carpenter’s Cor-

ners, it’s the big corner where Driscoll’s large barn/

business is. Corner of White Birch Road.

Sweet’s Crossing is on route 30, near the entrance

to route 152. This is where the F J & G R.R. went

through before arriving at Sacandaga Park Station.

The Sweet family farm was at that location.

Chapman’s Corners is on the corner of Houseman

Street and route 152.

Gifford’s Corners is where the old Gifford’s Cor-

ner school was. Today the school is a residence.

The location is on route 152 where the stone pillars

are that is the old entrance to Sacandaga Park

Gifford’s Valley is small hamlet north of North-

ville. Turn left at the stone crusher off of route 30.

The center of the hamlet is the first 4 corners you

come to. The Gifford’s Valley school was on that

corner before it was moved into the village and is

now our museum.

Johnnycake Hollow, is another old name for Gif-

ford’s valley. Tradition says the people there sup-

plied ‘Journey Cake’ to local roadhouses.

Hardscrabble is a dirt road that goes north over a

mountain. There are still a couple of residence and

a few camps on this road. Located by going up

Northville hill on route 143 past the old furniture

factory toward Maple Grove.

LEATHER COUNTRY

The leather business in Northville and Fulton

County was a major industry for many years.

Most of us know they mainly made gloves, but

did you know that leather post cards were also

made. We have a good display of them in our

museum. Below is a picture of one of the

cards that was mailed from Northville to some-

one in the village. Come and visit our museum

and view an album of more of these cards.

The post date is 1907 and note no house number, post

office box number or zip code !!!

DID YOU KNOW?

That the village of Northville was incorporated in

1873? There was a President rather than a mayor as

we have today. In 1926-27, the title was changed to

Mayor. The first President was Samuel B. Benton.

Trustees: Amos Van Arnam, Aaron Slocum and

Thomas Rooney. Hiram J Resseguie ,Treasurer,

William Carpenter, Collector.